So the Army did modify Natural hairstyling regulations removing the ridiculous and letting twists be allowed! Dreadlocks are still unauthorized, but cornrows can 1/2 inches and evenly spaced. Details below.From Army Times:

Female soldiers are now allowed to wear twists. The hairstyle,
popular among black female soldiers, was outlawed in the March 31 update
to AR 670-1. The Army has recanted.

Under the new rules, braids,
cornrows and twists can be worn, with a diameter of no greater than a ½
inch. This rule expands the size of braids and cornrows, which had
previously been limited to a ¼ inch.

Further, the Army has lifted a requirement that the braids and cornrows be spaced uniformly with no more than an 1⁄8 of an inch of scalp in between. Now the only requirement is that braids, cornrows and twists be evenly spaced.

Ends
of these approved hairstyles must be secured “inconspicuously.” The
Army lifted the requirement they be secured with a rubber band.

Braids,
cornows and twists do not have to start at the front of the head and go
back. Rather, they can “follow the natural direction of the hair.”
However, a “zig zag” pattern is unauthorized.

A woman can wear a
larger bun. The prior rules limited the size at 3 inches, when measured
from the scalp. The new rule accommodates 3 ½ inches.

Braids and twists may be worn in pony tails during PT.

Dreadlocks
or locks remain unauthorized, however the Army removed the words
“unkempt” and “matted” in describing them. This language was deemed
offensive and pulled from the reg as part of a Defense Department review
of appearance rules across the services.

Regarding wigs, the Army added a line to say to that they cannot be worn to “cover up unauthorized hairstyles.”LMAO--it will be interesting how they think they can enforce this. No SGM is going to walk around snatching wigs off

The military has been under scrutiny for guidelines issued in March
that critics believe were discriminatory toward African-American women.
Those regulations “specifically forbid several hairstyles popular for black women
who keep their hair natural, including twists, headbands, dreadlocks,
or multiple braids that are larger than a quarter-inch.” A former U.S.
Army Major, writing on ThinkProgress, sharply criticized the
regulations, noting they targeted “natural styles African American
service women have been wearing for years.”

Sims had been wearing her hair in the same way since 2005, without any apparent issues.

In response to the criticism, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
ordered the regulations to be relaxed earlier this month to “allow
female service members to have a wider range of hairstyles.” But the Navy found that Sims hair still violated their guidelines.

Hagel changes hair policy after controversy

Aug. 12, 2014 - 06:00AM
|

Dreadlocks, cornrows, twisted braids and other hairstyles popular
among African American women will be more accepted across the military
after a forcewide review of hairstyle policies prompted several changes,
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

The three-month review came
after a spate of complaints that service-level grooming policies were
racially biased against black women who choose to wear their hair
naturally curly rather than use heat or chemicals to straighten it.

“Each
service reviewed its hairstyle policies to ensure standards are fair
and respectful while also meeting military requirements,” Hagel wrote in
a letter to lawmakers on Capitol Hill notifying them of the changes
Monday. “These reviews were informed by a panel of military personnel of
mixed demographics reflective of our diverse force.”

The
Marine Corps agreed to hold a special meeting of its uniform board
later this year and is conducting a forcewide survey about whether the
“twist” or “dreadlocks” styles should be permitted while in uniform.

The
review concluded that the terms “matted and unkempt,” which the Army
and Air Force used to describe some dreadlocks and braids, are
“offensive” and were removed from service grooming policies, Hagel said.

For
some women, the hair regulations were derailing otherwise promising
careers. For example, Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jessica Sims, a
12-year sailor, wears her hair in long, tightly twisted locks pulled
into a bun when she’s in uniform.

No commanders ever complained
about her hair, Sims said, until she was assigned as a teacher at the
Navy’s boot camp, Recruit Training Command Great Lakes in Illinois.
There, the 32-year-old sailor with an unblemished record was told to cut
her hair or wear a wig, and when she refused, her commanders processed
her for separation for “serious misconduct.”

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